


Cousin Steve

by Wyndewalker



Series: 5 Relatives Xander Never Met [3]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-24
Updated: 2013-06-24
Packaged: 2017-12-16 02:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/856602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wyndewalker/pseuds/Wyndewalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve wasn't sure which he hated more right now: the plane or his dad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cousin Steve

**Author's Note:**

> I don't remember how much information they gave about Steve's age when his mother died or who his father sent him to live with other than it was a relative so I'm making it all up to suit my purposes.

A dry eyed 16, almost 17, year old Steve McGarrett stared stonily out the window of the plane that had taken him away from his beloved Hawaii. He wasn't sure which he hated more right now: the plane or his dad. Logically, he knew that there really was no point in hating an inanimate object. It wasn't the plane that had made the decision to send him away from his home only two days after his mother's funeral. That was all on his father but his father wasn't currently here for him to hate. He still didn't understand why he and his sister had been forced to leave the only home they'd ever known. Sure Mary was only 12 and their father worked long hours as a cop but it was only another month until he turned 17. He could easily look after them both when their father was busy. Instead Mary had been sent away yesterday with his dad's brother and his wife while Steve was currently on his way to live with his mother's sister, Aunt Jessica, her husband Anthony and his little cousin Alexander in Sunnydale, California.

He wouldn't have to stay with them long. Just over a year until his 18th birthday and then he could join the Navy. That had been a dream of Steve's for as long as he could remember; joining the Navy just like his dad and his grandfather before him. Steve sighed, leaning his head against the window staring at the clouds below them. He really just wanted to go home; to have his mother tell him everything would be alright but that was never going to happen again. Wearily, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. It was still a couple hours before they reached the mainland.

********

Three hours later Steve retrieved his duffel bag and his suitcase from Baggage Claim with no sign of his aunt or uncle. He'd just stepped outside when a station wagon pulled up to the curb. A woman he vaguely recognized hopped out of the driver's side door. There was enough of a resemblance to his mother that he recognized her as his Aunt but where his mother had always been neat and well put together his aunt was messy and frumpy looking. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and the house dress she was wearing was ill-fitting with several stains on it.

"Steven! Oh, look at you!" She drew him into a tight hug before holding him at arms length. “You've grown so much. I'm so sorry we didn't get here sooner. I so rarely drive to Los Angeles I completely forgot what the traffic is like. I hope you weren’t waiting long. Is this all you have? Well, lets get it into the car. Come along,” she babbled grabbing his suitcase and dragging it along behind her to the back of the station wagon.

Steve loaded his bags into the back himself before she could do any more damage to his suitcase. He paused when he noticed a small head of messy black hair and two brown eyes staring at him over the top of the back seat. His aunt apparently noticed the same thing because she sighed in exasperation.

“Alexander, honey, sit back down. I told you not to touch your seatbelt.”

The little head quickly disappeared. Steve frowned listening to his aunt mutter to her self. “I swear that boy never listens. Some days I wonder if he has the sense God gave a turnip. Come along, Steven. It’s almost a two hour drive back to Sunnydale and we’ll want to get back before its dark. Are you hungry? We can stop somewhere to pick something up if you are?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Steve said politely sliding into the front passenger seat. He looked into the back to find a small little boy staring back at him. “Hello.”

“Hi, I’m Xander. I’m six.” Xander held up three fingers on each hand to show his age. “You’re big.”

Steve gave him a small smile. “When you’re sixteen I’m sure you’ll be just as big as me. I’m Steve.”

“Uh-huh. Mommy says you’re gonna stay with us cause your Mommy is an angel now. She says I’m gonna share my room with you but Daddy won’t let us get bunk beds like Jesse has. He says is a w-waste of per-per-perfidy good money.”

“Alexander!” Aunt Jessica said sharply.

“Sorry, Mommy,” Xander said quietly, staring at his feet, seeming to shrink in on himself.

“It’s okay,” Steve smiled reassuringly at the little boy, glancing at his aunt out of the corner of his eye. “I’m sure the beds will be just fine.”

There were a couple of minutes of silence before Xander started talking again. Steve was beginning to suspect that a quiet Xander would be an unusual thing.

“I have a fire truck. Jesse gave it to me. It’s got lights an a ladder an it used to have a siren but not anymore but that’s okay ‘cause I can make the siren noise myself. I’m gonna be a fireman when I get big like you an put out fires an save peoples.”

“That’s great, Xander. That’s a really good goal for when you grow up.”

“I’m sorry your Mommy’s an angel but I’m glad you’re gonna live with us now,” Xander said solemnly.

“Me too,” Steve said softly. “Me too.”

Finis


End file.
